ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An intense search is underway to rescue a U.S airman who went missing after Iranian forces shot down an F-15 fighter jet Friday afternoon.
Both airmen ejected from the plane. One was quickly rescued by U.S forces. The other one is still missing, according to U.S officials.
The Iranian government released an image of a downed F-15, claiming it was the same one that was shot out of the sky by Iranian forces. That has not been independently verified.“Once those aviators hit the ground, their training kicks in,” said Retired Lt. Commander Casey Tolbert, who served as a U.S Navy Pilot. “Their training is from the ‘SERE’ school, which stands for “Survive, Evasion, Resistance and Escape.”Search crews took to the air in two Blackhawk helicopters, but had to retreat after the Iranian military opened fire on them. The crews made it back to their base, but not before they suffered serious injuries.
The attacks on U.S troops come two days after President Trump addressed the nation and said the Iranian military was decimated. “ They have no anti-aircraft equipment, “Trump said. “Their radar is 100% annihilated. We are unstoppable as a military force.”
But experts say Iran’s military is still capable of significant attacks.“”I think the military campaign is going to continue,” said Javed Ali, a former National Security Council Senior Director for Counter-Terrorism. “The Iranians are going to continue doing what they’re doing - striking the region, trying to interfere with shipping and the Straits of Hormuz.”
In a separate incident, Iran took credit for shooting down an A-10 jet, which crashed in the Persian Gulf. That pilot was safely rescued.
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